Box.



No. 867,171. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

R. c. TO 'I'ZKB; BOX. APPLICATION FILED MAB. 6, 1907.

ROBERT C. TOTZKE, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed Meroh 8,1907. Serial No. 360,881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, toimn'r C. TOTZKE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of St. Joseph, Berricn county, Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in B0xes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to berry or fruit boxes, and more especially to boxes of this character which can be folded upand shipped in a flat or substantially flat condition.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved folding berry box which will not be injured by shrinkage of the wood, which will stay in place when unfolded for use, and which will give ventilation at the bottom thereof.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a berry box embodying the principles. of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the end of the bottom of said b-ox. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 in Fig. 2, showing the bottom folded in dotted lines. Fig. 5 shows the box folded for shipment. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the slotted side of the box.

As thus illustrated, my improved berrybox comprises a band folded to proiiide four side walls 1., 2, 3 and 4, the Wall 1 being formed of lapping end portions of the said band. The side 3 has a, horizontal slot 5 formed therein at a point near its lower edge. A bottom (5 has one end thereof provided with a flexibly connected flap 7 which is secured to the side wall 1. The other end of said bottom is provided with a non-flexible and wide projection or tongue 8 which is as Wide as the slot 5 is long, and which has square corners thatiit in said slot. The shoulders 9 at each side of said projection are slightly curved or rounded away therefrom. With this construction the box can be shipped flat, aild the bottom can then be pressed down into place for use. The proportions are such that the side 3 springs out when the end of the bottom is pressed down inside thereof. slot 5 in engagement with the projection or tongue 8, as shown in the drawings. The grain of the wood in the side runs around the box--that is, lengthwise of the long scored strip from which the sides are formed In the bottom the grain of the wood runs lengthwise thereof--that is, in a direction at right angles to the end 7, and to the free end. With such construction the said bottom can be narrower than the box, so as to provide ventilating spaces Ill--10 at each side ,thereof. The bottom braces the whole box and prevents the sides from giving innardly and bruising the fruit, as is often the case with other boxes when thewood shrinks. I thus provide a. folding box which is exceedingly satisfactory in use, as shrinkage of the wood, which is only crosswise of the grain, cannot loosen the bottom in the In this way the side 3 serves as a spring to hold the box. The proportions can be such that the springy side 3 will bear against the sh0ulders'99 with more or less pressure, as may be desired, varying from a considerable pressure thereon to a very slight pressure, according to requirements. Whether under considerable tension or not, it will be seen, however, that the side 3 preferably serves as a spring to keep the parts lirmly in place.

' As the bottom is narrower than the box the structure can fold up with less danger of breaking it at the corners where the material is scored. For example,- as shown in Fig. 5, the box can fold into a substantially fiat condition without breaking the corners thereof. For example, the side edge X'of the bottom does not extend outwardly far enough to break the corner Y of the box when the structure is folded. l urthermore, the projection or tongue 8 being substantially as wide as the slot 5' is long, the bottom is always held squarely or evenly and is not liable to work out of theslot, because the square corners on the projection or tongue engage the ends of said slot. Again, the reduction in width of the bottom, and the provision of ventilating spaces in the bottom, permits the sides 2 and 4 todraw inwardly when the side 3 is sprung outwardly by. the bottom. In addition, the rounded or slightly curved char actor of the shoulders 9 permits them to fit the slightoutward curvature of the side 3 when the latter is pushed outwardly by the bottom. In this way, as explained, the box is given a tension by the adjustment of the'boi tom into place, which b "aces the whole box, whether or not the bottom level. As shown, the

bottom is substantially level, but this can be changed more or less without departing from the spirit of my invention. I

What I claim as my invention is:

A folding berry box comprising four flexibly connected sides, a. bottom narrower than the box to provide a ventilating space at each side thereof, said bottom flexibly connected to a side wall at one end and provided with it wide and square cornered projectidn or tongue at the other end thereof, with slightly rounded or curved shouldcrs at each side of said projection or tongue, one of said side walls provided with a horizontal slot'adapted to receive said projection 01' tongue, said slot having its ends adapted to engage the square corners of the'said projection, the said slotted side wall hearing against said rounded or curved shoulders on the end of the bottom and serving as a springjo keep the slot in locking engagement with the said projection or tongue, said bottom thereby bracing the whole box, and said ventilating spaces in the bottom permitting two opposite sides of the box to draw inwardly when the slotted side is sprung outwardly by the bottom, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me at St, Joseph Berrlen county, Michigan this 28 day of February 1907.

' 1 ROBT. C. TOTZKE.

Witnesses:

Fnmiox'r EVANS,

IInLnn C. CLARKE. 

